CAMEROON -- Amnesty International is calling for the immediate and
unconditional release of Pius Njawe, a prominent journalist and
director of the independent newspaper Le Messager, who was
arrested in late December 1997. The conditions in the prison
where he is being held could pose a threat to his health.

Pius Njawe was arrested on 24 December 1997 and detained by the
police judiciaire (the police investigation department) following
an article in Le Messager two days earlier by another journalist
which questioned the state of health of President Paul Biya. On
26 December Pius Njawe was charged with dissemination of false
news (propagation de fausses nouvelles) and transferred to the
Central Prison, New Bell, in Douala. His trial has been
scheduled for 13 January 1998. If convicted, he faces a sentence
of three months' to two years' imprisonment and/or a fine.

Amnesty International considers Pius Njawe to be a prisoner of
conscience, imprisoned solely because of his legitimate
professional activities and in violation of the right to freedom
of expression.

Pius Njawe has been denied visits from members of his family,
lawyers and colleagues. On 31 December five members of the
Committee to Free Pius Njawe (Comite de liberation de Pius Njawe)
were arrested and held briefly by police when they attempted to
visit Pius Njawe in New Bell prison. On 3 January 1998 the
security forces were reported to have surrounded the area around
New Bell prison to deter Pius Njawe's supporters. Prison
conditions are extremely harsh throughout Cameroon and fall far
short of international standards for the treatment of prisoners.
Both criminal and political prisoners are held in conditions
which deny their basic rights, which pose a threat to both health
and life and which amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading
treatment. Most prisons are severely overcrowded and sanitary
facilities are non-existent or inadequate. Health care and
nutrition are also seriously deficient. Disease is rife and there
is a high mortality rate among prisoners.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Since 1995 an increasing number of journalists have been
convicted on criminal charges and sentenced to terms of
imprisonment for criticizing government authorities. Attacks on
freedom of expression in Cameroon continued and intensified
during 1996 and into 1997 as both legislative and presidential
elections approached. Prosecutions of journalists have appeared
to be attempts by the authorities to inhibit criticism of
prominent members of the government, those closely associated
with them, or government policies. In some cases there have been
serious irregularities in judicial procedures.

Pius Njawe and other journalists working for Le Messager have
been imprisoned on several occasions in the past. In October 1996
he and a colleague, Alain Christian Eyoum Ngangue, were convicted
of insulting the President and members of the National Assembly
(outrage par injure fait au president de la Republique ainsi
qu'aux membres de l'Assemblee nationale). Initially only fined
when the case was first heard earlier in 1996, they had their
sentences increased to fines and prison terms: Pius Njawe
received six months and Alain Christian Eyoum Ngangue one year.
Pius Njawe was imprisoned in New Bell prison where he was denied
access to his doctor and medical treatment. He was conditionally
released after 17 days (see UA 250/96, AFR 17/06/96, 31 October
1996 and updates). Alain Christian Eyoum Ngangue was arrested in
January 1997 and imprisoned for more than two months before being
conditionally released.